The Okavango Delta: Trip of a Lifetime

This is the chorus of the song that the Xigera staff sang to us the night we arrived at their magical camp. My wife, being South African, chimed in and gave them a run for their money which was most amusing. The whole serenade was a wonderful sensory feast for a non-singing, non-dancing Neanderthal like myself. Earlier in the day we had flown in from Maun, the main international airport. The flight, although slightly unnerving by the sheer nature of being in a tiny prop plane, did make us appreciate the vast expanse of the Okavango Delta in all its glory. Lush, green wetland as far as the eyes can see – herds of giraffe, elephant and hippos roaming large if you look carefully enough. I therefore truly appreciated what they meant when they were calling their country beautiful.

Xigera, a Wilderness Safaris Camp situated in the heart of the Okavango is predominately an aviary paradise due to its proximity to the water. Having said this, we were very fortunate with the game viewings in nearby Moremi Game Reserve which I will come on to later. The camp itself is small and intimate with only 9 tented rooms. Although not the most luxurious of camps, especially in the communal areas, the rooms, private tents on raised stilts were all one could wish for - each offering spectacular views of the great plain from your private terrace. What an awe-inspiring view. Sitting on the terrace with a cup of coffee watching animals meander by. My wife, an avid yoga practitioner, said goodbye with regret to this terrace when we left. Arguably, she claims, one of the most serene spots she’s ever had the fortune to practice yoga in- absolute tranquillity.

Our first game drive was a little disappointing for a self-proclaimed safari veteran. A lot of impala, warthog and zebra. The usual! Although our guide did try to make it as interesting as possible for us by spouting off random facts about these mundane animals. After this we went back to the plunge pool and had some wine in the sun, which was very refreshing indeed.

The food at the camp was healthy, nutritious and… delicious. That night we had miso soup followed by roast lamb, quinoa and a very complimentary bottle of Claret. Impressive for the middle of the African bush.

The next morning, we awoke at the crack of dawn in high spirits. The anticipation of seeing all or some of the African Big 5 was very exciting. The drive did not disappoint! A parade of elephants walked dangerously close to our vehicle, endless Cape Buffalo dotted the horizon and then out of nowhere our guide spotted a leopard in a tree. We stayed and watched this majestic creature for a while. Its silky coat glistening in the sun, tail swinging slowly, eyes half open - post a kill no doubt. Just then another leopard appears and circles the base of the tree. Its partner comes down the tree to join it – so elegant the way it descends effortlessly. Seeing these two beautiful animals in tandem was an extremely rare and pivotal moment for me.

That afternoon we left to Duma Tau meaning “roar of the lion”, on the northern side of the Delta bordering Chobe National Park. It is known to have some of the best wildlife viewing in Botswana as it also borders Linyanti Wildlife Reserve, is situated close to the source of the Savute Channel on Osprey Lagoon and sits between two elephant ‘corridors’.

Family of ElephantsTheo Osborne

The camp is raised off the ground on the banks of the Linyanti River which is littered with hippos and crocodiles – scary stuff but the camp is stunning. It had a very cool “chill area” equipped with sofas, large cushions and a wide array of board games, which came in handy in the evenings. Our room was more modern than at Xigera but still kept true to a heavy African influence. The shower overlooked the river which was surreal especially when you can see the animals bathing too.

Our first afternoon there we saw wild hunting dogs which are an incredibly elusive and highly endangered species. This was very special for me as I had never seen them before.

That evening we just sat on the deck reading and listening to the hippos calls.

The next morning it was game drive time again. This time we decided to have a lie in though and only got going at 9am. Very lucky we did! We saw, unequivocally, the best sighting of our lives. We were speeding along the dirt track when suddenly our guide brings the vehicle to a halt and reverses. How he sees these things is beyond me. But lo and behold in the distance, through the bushes was a hyena. As we get up closer we realise it is a baby giraffe that has just been killed. Unlikely the hyena killed it so where is the culprit. Then I spot a leopard sauntering towards the carcass. It joins the hyena in tearing at the flesh of the giraffe. Then out of nowhere a large giraffe runs towards the animals kicking as it goes to hurry them away from the dead giraffe. A very sad scene but one all too familiar in the wild.

That afternoon we arranged Mokoro. Moroko is the native method of transport in the Delta. It's a long hollowed out log which is pushed along the shallow waters using a long pole - similar to a gondola. Being out on the placid water, surrounded by waterlilies and reeds is a very tranquil experience and one I highly recommend you do.

MukoroWilderness Safaris

In conclusion, I have been on quite a few safaris in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa and I can say that Botswana wins hands down.

As the founder of Parnassus Travel, I have been fortunate enough to visit the most incredible hotels in the most far flung corners of the world. Through experiences such as working for a Luxury Hotel Group in Las Vegas, I saw guests treated like royalty, with every aspect o...